Exclusive! Ashish Verma: Unlike my Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo character, I constantly got validation from my parents

Best known for his role in Inmates and Gurgaon, Ashish Verma is now a part of Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo. He plays the role of Dimple Kapadia’s son on the show which has been the talk of the town for a while now. In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, Ashish discusses about his character, the viral scene with Dimple and more.

Excerpts from the interview…

People have loved Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo and in fact your scene with Dimple Kapadia about US venture is going viral. Have you seen those? How do you feel about them?

I’ve been watching a few memes on Instagram. It’s quite nice that people are giving the show the love with which we made the show. Kaafi sahi feeling hai. It’s the unprecedented kind of reaction. The character I play is very different from what I have played in the past. So, it’s a great feeling.

Tell me about that scene in general. Was there something going on in your mind while approaching the scene? Did you know that Dimple would react the way she did for the shot?

In the scene, Harish is high on cocaine. Interestingly, that was also my audition scene. When I gave an audition for the show, it was that scene. So, I had a rough idea about how that scene is going to be. He’s supposed to snort cocaine but here, I snorted Glucon-D. So, throughout the scene, my throat had this sweet feeling from consuming Glucon-D.

Since I had to show that I’m agitated, so I had about five-six cups of black coffee. That made me a little jittery.

Of course, working with Dimple ma’am is extremely nice. She makes you so comfortable and she keeps on giving takes till she feels she’s done her best. I have said this previously also. Everyone knows she’s a very good actor but she’s an even better co-actor. That’s how comfortable she makes you feel.

It's a very important moment for Harish also because for the first time, his nose bleeds. His mom notices that and he tries to hide it saying it’s just a cold. Honestly, Harish is a lost guy. All he wants is validation from his mom.

What was going on in my mind during that scene was that he just wants to prove his worth to his mom. This is contrary to the popular perception that he is good-for-nothing. If you see the show, he’s the only one who has got a heart of gold, the only supposedly honest person in the show. What he wants from his mother is just a pat on the back, that she acknowledges him as her son. Getting into substance abuse is a part of the larger problem he’s dealing with, which is acceptance and validation.

In real life, did this happen to you? Were you acknowledged and validated by your parents? How did you deal with that?

My parents were very supportive but the immediate family objected. They started thinking I had wandered since I was studying economics and dreamed of becoming an actor. The moment I got through FTII, that is when I got the validation I sought. That is when they understood that I was more than a mimic. As a kid, I would mimic other people during birthday parties. I think that’s how you realize you want to be an actor or not. After FTII, there was no turning back. They were always supportive and I kept getting the validation.

Gurgaon or Inmates, which would you say became your life-changing project?

What happened with Inmates was, because it was TVF, it blew up. They have a very loyal fanbase and it was a very light-hearted comedy which reached a lot of people. It captured the youth. The audience started recognizing me because of the show. There’s a lift scene which went viral. That is popular till date.

What Gurgaon gave me was acceptance in the industry. The professionals finally took notice and said that I can act. Both have an equal place in my career in very two different ways. One is very out-and-out for the audience and one is for the makers to acknowledge.

Very early on, you had also turned a writer for a TV series. Any plans to pursue that further?

I’m a very reluctant writer, actually. The director of the show is a very close friend of mine. He is my constant collaborator. He’s my partner-in-crime. I write with him at times.

You also made your Hollywood debut in Imperial Blue in 2019. Do you want to do more such projects or continue in Bollywood for a while?

As actors, you want to experience different cultures and work with different kind of people. Of course, if someone offers me a role in Hollywood, I’ll jump and do it yaar. I’m not restricted to language. So, I’m open to an opportunity from anywhere. I would love to do a Bengali film, for that matter. As an actor, it would be nice to have different challenges, which is cultural, language, different roles. I take everyday as it comes.

There has been a certain stereotype in Bollywood, that men who are lean can only become actors. Did you happen to face that when you began your career?

Honestly, I did not. The kind of people I’ve been collaborating with, were the sweetest filmmakers who were more open to seeing me as the character. It all depends on the character, right? When I played Harish, he had to look bloated because of the amount of alcohol and substance he was using. His swollen face was important. It was part of the look of the character. He should look unkempt. If he were in the best shape of his life and very sharp, that would have gone against the character. The next show that I’m a part of, I play a guy just out of law college. For that, I lost 12 kgs in two months. It’s for the need of the character. Whatever the project and character demands.

We hear about a second season of Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo. Do you have any update on that?

No update as of now. No one has reached me so far.

What's next for you, career-wise?

You will not see me as a writer for too many projects, that’s for sure. There are many acting assignments that I’m busy with. I’m in talks for two projects. Currently, I’m busy promoting Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo only.